Just a quick Halloween update, I got a great picture from the Haloween party I went to last weekend and had to post it!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Happy Halloween!
Hands down, Halloween is our favorite holiday of the year, and it's not just because of the candy, but that can only make a good day better!
Emily and I both went to Halloween parties last weekend and had lots of fun!
Emily and Grey ready to party!
We are getting ready for our neighborhood trick or treat block party on Friday, this year we have lots of new friends coming to join in the fun and we can't wait! Costumes, candy, chili, sangria and good friends!
Tonight was time for pumpkin carving and we have a few last minute decorations to get ready, but we can't wait! Hope you all get more treats than tricks!
Happy Haunting!
Emily and I both went to Halloween parties last weekend and had lots of fun!
Emily and Grey ready to party!
We are getting ready for our neighborhood trick or treat block party on Friday, this year we have lots of new friends coming to join in the fun and we can't wait! Costumes, candy, chili, sangria and good friends!
Tonight was time for pumpkin carving and we have a few last minute decorations to get ready, but we can't wait! Hope you all get more treats than tricks!
Happy Haunting!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Starting the day off with a laugh....
I think everyone can agree that getting out of the house in the morning is never easy and not even close to the best part of the day. We are always rushing to get lunch made, grabbing something to eat for breakfast in the car, making sure we have keys, homework, backpacks, teeth brushed on and on......And Monday.....don't even get me started!
Today was no different....we were running a bit late as usual, but we were on our way and had picked up Matthew the boy we carpool with and were sluggishly heading down the freeway towards school.
Since the beginning of the school year we have been playing a guessing game about the random things we see in the vacant lot at the corner of Hayden Road and the Loop 101 freeway exit. The first few weeks of school there was an old tire sitting near the corner and one day it would be standing up and the next laying down. A few weeks ago a junky old office chair replaced the tire, Emily and Matthew had seen it a day before and thought they were very funny by trying to fool me into thinking they had just guessed a chair would be there the next morning. We've been laughing about it and checking on it every day since. Last Friday morning Grandma and PePaw took the kids to school for me and they got in on the game.
WELL....this morning as we exited the freeway the kids were guessing about other things in the field.....and as we got closer something was looking odd......even closer.....someone was SITTING in the chair in the middle of the vacant field..... even closer now.....it's PePaw sitting in the chair!!!!! We all started laughing, rolled down the windows to wave and honk at him! It was so great, there is nothing better a good laugh to get the day started! We smiled and laughed each time we thought about it all day today! What a fun way to make us smile, thanks PePaw!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Only at the fair.....
Where else but the state fair can you get a corn dog, ride a giant slide, buy some really cool infomercial stuff, have a fried Twinkie, see some goats, get your picture taken in a photo booth, watch monkey jockeys race dogs and pose for a picture with cotton candy hair all in one place! I ask you what's not to love!!!!!!
It's probably been a good 15 years since I went to the Arizona State fair. Friday was opening day and admission was only a dollar! So Emily and I picked up my dad and headed downtown for some good trashy fun and lots of food!
I have to go wash my car with my new Sham-WOW....but I totally recommend checking it out maybe only in the day time though I hear things get a bit scary down there after dark.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tag you're it......
I was tagged by Shannon and know I am really behind in updating my blog! I had a great time at CE seeing so many friends and working on such great projects! I will updated with some pictures here soon! Currently taking a great online E-Zine Bellaween from Teresa McFayden trying to get that fall feeling going but it's still so darn hot it's not easy!
So here are the rules for the tag....
1. If you've been tagged, you can put the logo on your blog.
2. Link the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you've nominated.
OK I am low on the number of blogs I can tag ...mostly stalk my scrap idols....so I will tag.....
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Alaska Finally
I've uploaded all her picutres if you want to see all of them
It's taken me way to long to get around to posting about Emily's trip to Alaska, but better late than never! She and her delegation of 10 from Arizona with their leader Mrs. Evans left Phoenix on July 10th for their two week adventure! This group has been meeting and working together to prepare for this trip since last fall. They looked great all in uniform with backpacks and...gotta love Costco...6 of them had exactly the same suitcase!
I think day three was one of the most anticipated of the entire trip. They would visit the Dream A Dream Dog Farm, home of Vern Halter and Iditarod training grounds to learn all about the Iditarod race the dogs. Emily got to be the volunteer to try on the complete sled racing gear and try out the sled for the group. It took them a while to get her dressed in all of it....boots, body suit, parka wind breaker, fuzzy hat, gloves, wrist warmers, bigger leather gloves, then fuzzy gl
oves! After she was dressed she got to stand on an actual sled. 
Then it was off for a hike to the beach at Lowell Point to learn about the art of Andy Goldsworthy, and try making some of their own natural art.
Here is Emily's trail group ready for the hike.
Emily and Marissa created a heart and peace sign out of rocks to represent the spread of love and peace. Here is an adorable little house made by one of the delegates....
Day 8 was heading back to Anchorage and a challenging hike up Flat Top Mountain. Emily said it was a tough hike but she made it all they way to the top, the reward...launching some rocks off the top and some great views!
Day 9 Emily says was her favorite day....mostly because there was some down time and she got to hang out and have Dairy Queen and shop with her new friends, they picked up some fun CD's and made up some fun dances. But they also visited Matanuska Glacier for some more hiking. They learned about mulans a stream in a glacier and try a drink of some glacier water.
Day 10 and more firsts....they rode the Denali Railway for a day long ride to Denali National Park. It was two story car with seats on the top level for fantastic views and a dining area below, where Emily and Megan from Kentucky shared lunch during the trip.
Day 11 more exploring in Denali this time by bus they saw caribou and learned about Mt. McKinley. They also had an Athabaskan performance to learn about the history of Denali and heard him play the violin.
Day 12 was the day to see Denali from the water! White water rafting, they all sat around the bow and Emily managed somehow to stay dry until almost the end of the trip. They ended the day with a barbecue by the river after their trip.
Day 13 was time to head back to Anchorage. Some last minute souvenir shopping and a barbecue and singing and skits with new friends. Several of the delegations were leaving that night and it was hard to say goodbye to all of their new friends.!
Day 14...heading home! Emily had been really homesick throughout the trip and there were quite a few very hard days. She was glad to be heading home and it was fantastic to see them walking toward us as the arrived back in Phoenix! But as soon as she was home she forgot all the homesick moments and had so many stories to share and new friends to talk about. She has been talking and texting with several of them over the last few weeks! Thank you Mrs. Fitch for having the confidence in Emily to nominate her for this wonderful experience! It was a wonderful experience and I am so proud of her for it, she learned a lot about herself and has some wonderful memories and new friends!
It's taken me way to long to get around to posting about Emily's trip to Alaska, but better late than never! She and her delegation of 10 from Arizona with their leader Mrs. Evans left Phoenix on July 10th for their two week adventure! This group has been meeting and working together to prepare for this trip since last fall. They looked great all in uniform with backpacks and...gotta love Costco...6 of them had exactly the same suitcase! They had a quick stop in Seattle and arrived in Anchorage midday and headed for the University of Alaska to settle in to the dorms where they would stay the next few days. The other delegations arr rived later in the day, they totaled 45 delegates about 6 leaders and 4 field instructors. There were kids from New Mexico, Maryland, Washington, Kentucky, South Carolina, New York and Indiana.
On the second day they broke in to trail groups that they would be working with throughout the trip. Emily was lucky to have made a new friend Marissa from New Mexico already and have her in her group. First stop the Alaska Native Heritage Center. They got to see native Alaskan houses and learn about the history and culture of Alaska, by playing games and learning dances. That night they had a fun dinner at the Alaskan Sourdough Mining Company and saw the Dusty Sourdough Show.
On the second day they broke in to trail groups that they would be working with throughout the trip. Emily was lucky to have made a new friend Marissa from New Mexico already and have her in her group. First stop the Alaska Native Heritage Center. They got to see native Alaskan houses and learn about the history and culture of Alaska, by playing games and learning dances. That night they had a fun dinner at the Alaskan Sourdough Mining Company and saw the Dusty Sourdough Show. I think day three was one of the most anticipated of the entire trip. They would visit the Dream A Dream Dog Farm, home of Vern Halter and Iditarod training grounds to learn all about the Iditarod race the dogs. Emily got to be the volunteer to try on the complete sled racing gear and try out the sled for the group. It took them a while to get her dressed in all of it....boots, body suit, parka wind breaker, fuzzy hat, gloves, wrist warmers, bigger leather gloves, then fuzzy gl
oves! After she was dressed she got to stand on an actual sled. 
After learning all about the race and the gear it was time to meet the dogs and see how they train. In the summer the dogs run with a golf cart and the kids got go out on a ride with the dogs. Then they all got to interact and play with the dogs back at the the farm.
Day four was on to Seward to learn about more animals at the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center. Where they saw moose, bears, caribou, eagles and bison. Then off to spend the night with the fishes at the Alaska SeaLife Center. They slept in the rockery with the puffins, seals and sea lions. They spent part of the next day exploring the center and even getting some hands on time with some of the creatures....
Then it was off for a hike to the beach at Lowell Point to learn about the art of Andy Goldsworthy, and try making some of their own natural art.
Here is Emily's trail group ready for the hike.
Emily and Marissa created a heart and peace sign out of rocks to represent the spread of love and peace. Here is an adorable little house made by one of the delegates....
Day 6 next stop Kenai Fjords National Park to see Exit Glacier. They learned about how glaciers are formed Emily said it looked like the kids game Don't Break the Ice. Later that day they visited a salmon hatchery and watched them working with fish.
Day 7 was more exploring at Kenai Fjords but this time from the water. They boarded a boat for a trip to explore Resurrection Bay where they saw whales, sea otters and some beautiful views.Day 8 was heading back to Anchorage and a challenging hike up Flat Top Mountain. Emily said it was a tough hike but she made it all they way to the top, the reward...launching some rocks off the top and some great views!
Day 9 Emily says was her favorite day....mostly because there was some down time and she got to hang out and have Dairy Queen and shop with her new friends, they picked up some fun CD's and made up some fun dances. But they also visited Matanuska Glacier for some more hiking. They learned about mulans a stream in a glacier and try a drink of some glacier water.
Day 10 and more firsts....they rode the Denali Railway for a day long ride to Denali National Park. It was two story car with seats on the top level for fantastic views and a dining area below, where Emily and Megan from Kentucky shared lunch during the trip.
Day 11 more exploring in Denali this time by bus they saw caribou and learned about Mt. McKinley. They also had an Athabaskan performance to learn about the history of Denali and heard him play the violin.
Day 12 was the day to see Denali from the water! White water rafting, they all sat around the bow and Emily managed somehow to stay dry until almost the end of the trip. They ended the day with a barbecue by the river after their trip.
Day 13 was time to head back to Anchorage. Some last minute souvenir shopping and a barbecue and singing and skits with new friends. Several of the delegations were leaving that night and it was hard to say goodbye to all of their new friends.!
Day 14...heading home! Emily had been really homesick throughout the trip and there were quite a few very hard days. She was glad to be heading home and it was fantastic to see them walking toward us as the arrived back in Phoenix! But as soon as she was home she forgot all the homesick moments and had so many stories to share and new friends to talk about. She has been talking and texting with several of them over the last few weeks! Thank you Mrs. Fitch for having the confidence in Emily to nominate her for this wonderful experience! It was a wonderful experience and I am so proud of her for it, she learned a lot about herself and has some wonderful memories and new friends!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Charm or Strikes, Charms, Swaps and Camp
Well things have finally slowed down a little bit for us....phew!
But it seems things never get boring!
After our Odyssey adventure was over, I decided it was time to start looking for a new job....because starting two new jobs in the last year just wasn't enough ;) .
No really...my job hadn't been a good fit for my experience from the beginning, and it was not somewhere I could have learned and grown doing what I really enjoy. Job searching this time was a much quicker process than I had thought it might be, and I was lucky to find a QA position at a small software company here in Phoenix called Bayern Software, it seems like a great fit and I am really excited about starting! Like the saying goes...."Third time's a Charm" or as it has been pointed out to me "Three Strikes and you're out", lets hope not.
I have been off for a couple of weeks waiting to start on June 30th, and I've been busy and creative! Working on some swaps for Creative Escape a scrapbooking retreat I am lucky enough to be going to in September. I signed up for several swaps with other girls who will be going including a charm swap, and two altered card swaps. I have finished my ATC cards, one of my playing cards, and my charms.
Charms
Altered Trading Card
Playing Card
still need to make two more designs....but I like the first!
This was enough of a creative boost to get me excited about working on some other projects I have been wanting to do. I have always wanted to try a fabric album after seeing the one on Donna Downey's blog last year, well this week the new Tena Sprenger mini-book class at BPS was announced, and it was a heritage fabric album .
That was all I needed to get me going. I created a 6 page circle fabric book with pictures of my mom and her sisters growing up. It was so much fun and I love how it turned out!
Emily spent a week at Girl Scout Camp in Payson. She and her friend Lauren went to Paddle Poll and Roll camp where they learned canoe and kayak skills while participating in lots of other camp activities like crafts, cookouts, hikes, rock climbing and a sleep out under the stars! She had a great time, and I hope she can teach me what she learned about kayaking when the weather cools off a bit.
She leaves for her 14 day Alaska Adventure with the People to People Student Ambassadors in a little over two weeks, we are both really excited and I am sure she will have lots of pictures and stories to share when she gets back!
Hope your summer is keeping you just busy enough.
But it seems things never get boring!
After our Odyssey adventure was over, I decided it was time to start looking for a new job....because starting two new jobs in the last year just wasn't enough ;) .
No really...my job hadn't been a good fit for my experience from the beginning, and it was not somewhere I could have learned and grown doing what I really enjoy. Job searching this time was a much quicker process than I had thought it might be, and I was lucky to find a QA position at a small software company here in Phoenix called Bayern Software, it seems like a great fit and I am really excited about starting! Like the saying goes...."Third time's a Charm" or as it has been pointed out to me "Three Strikes and you're out", lets hope not.
I have been off for a couple of weeks waiting to start on June 30th, and I've been busy and creative! Working on some swaps for Creative Escape a scrapbooking retreat I am lucky enough to be going to in September. I signed up for several swaps with other girls who will be going including a charm swap, and two altered card swaps. I have finished my ATC cards, one of my playing cards, and my charms.
Charms
Altered Trading Card
Playing Card
still need to make two more designs....but I like the first!
This was enough of a creative boost to get me excited about working on some other projects I have been wanting to do. I have always wanted to try a fabric album after seeing the one on Donna Downey's blog last year, well this week the new Tena Sprenger mini-book class at BPS was announced, and it was a heritage fabric album .
That was all I needed to get me going. I created a 6 page circle fabric book with pictures of my mom and her sisters growing up. It was so much fun and I love how it turned out!
Emily spent a week at Girl Scout Camp in Payson. She and her friend Lauren went to Paddle Poll and Roll camp where they learned canoe and kayak skills while participating in lots of other camp activities like crafts, cookouts, hikes, rock climbing and a sleep out under the stars! She had a great time, and I hope she can teach me what she learned about kayaking when the weather cools off a bit.
She leaves for her 14 day Alaska Adventure with the People to People Student Ambassadors in a little over two weeks, we are both really excited and I am sure she will have lots of pictures and stories to share when she gets back!
Hope your summer is keeping you just busy enough.
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